photo of the gecko that i rescued from " cat matata's jaws on saturday(13-11-2010). I happened to shoot this photo at approx 0745 hrs today(14-11-2010) in my gallery. As usual the cats first tracked him peeping through the gallery shutter opening. Its tail is missing and observe the "teeth marks". Now we know why cats are called miniature "Big cats"! This is the second gecko that matata has tracked and caught within the last 8 months. Managed to rescue both, the first rescued gecko having grown into a magnificient specimen, teasing the cats from unaccessible heights in the house.Another fact that i observed is that gecko lizards are very hardy and strong, i definitely didn't believe that this severely wounded lizard would survive to see the next day. Bizzare and scientifically true.

Our household has always had a few gecko's living wild amidst the ceiling photo's and curio's, a natural pest control to the few cockroaches that also co-exist. Matata had caught a baby gecko almost 8 months ago and luckily i rescued it from his jaws, later releasing it minus its tail, a very lucky survivor. This same gecko has been sighted manny times since then in our household, having grown into a wonderful specimen, the only identifiable charectistic being his regrown tail which has a dark scar on the tip from where it regrew. Recently , another small gecko was spotted in our household, could be an off-spring of the previous lizard and as usual , both, matata and matahari always tried to pursue these lizards, although beyond their reach on the house ceilings or walls.
Today,(saturday(13-11-2010), early morning around 0730hrs i suddenly noticed matata running frantically around the house with something sticking from his mouth. I was under the impression that some food particle must have got stuck in his mouth, hence pursued him but just unable to catch him. I then noticed the gecko's tail jutting out from his mouth, the lizard tghtly clenched in his jaws.I tried to catch him but he kept dodging me, happy with his successful hunting and not wanting to surrender his prey. I finally caught him by the scruff of his neck and tried to pry open his mouth to release the lizard whom i presumed was dead. i didn't want him eating the lizard and finally after much prodding he opened his mouth dropping the gecko to the floor. Miraculously, the gecko was still alive, slightly bruised near the belly due to matata's teeth, its tail droppin off as usual. I took the injured gecko and kept it in one of the gallery plant pots to recover, if slightly bruised akin to its predecessor.
on returning to the pot noticed that the gecko had dissappeared, presumably recovering from its brush with death somewhere within the house.
Bizzarely, this was matata's second successfull capture of a gecko and also a successful rescue of the lizard by me.
Matata is a miniature tiger in looks as well as temperament, totally fearlees of nature barring unfamiliar human beings.
Strangely, matata is absolutely paranoid of visitors to our household , rushing to hide as soon as he hears the door bell ring.

"Tomcat Matata" at 19 months of age is absolutely childish and dog-like in behaviour, a splendid companion to his bachelor owner Rudolph and house care-taker Sabina.
He loves being petted and has to be personally fed, akin to a child by sabina.
In behaviour , matata is "50% Dog 50% Cat" absolutely bizarre and humanlike, a perfect pet companion to his human owners. Previous to cats, i owned dogs, hence accustomed to dog behaviour who are considered humans best friends for their obedient and faithfull behaviour , unlike cats, totally independent and controller of their human care-takers emotions. Matata follows us around the small house like a puppy dog and loves being petted.
He also has some charecteristic individual behaviour patterns, his favourite being always jumping on the bed to be petted whenever i rest for reading or sleeping, his favouriite habit.
He also has his favourite "Food chair" in the kitchen, sitting on the chair awaiting his dinner as soon as Sabina arrives home in the evening.
Now i appreciate the reasons for some Individuals bequeathing their wealth to their pets, a trend yet to catch up in my native country India.
To me, a not so lonely bachelor, my pets are a real solace in times of personal trouble or worries, totally non-judgemental in their affections.
Medical science has proved that pet ownership is conducieve to a healthy living for humans and i personally agree having owned pets since childhood.

As i had 2 dogs prior to owning cats, i am well acquainted with "Dog behaviour" and their characteristics. Tom cat "Matata' is more "Dog-like" than "Cat-like" in his behaviour and habits. He follows us when called by name and likes sniffing around the house, occassionally "Spraying" to mark his "territory". He is also very docile and loves being petted, rolling on his back, typical dog habits. His dam "Matahari" is the exact opposite of him, a total feline "Queen cat', bold and cunning.Matata is a total glutton and is happiest eating and sleeping, the typical "Fat cat life" akin to the cartoon cat "garfield". Matata has proved to be poor at "Stud Duty" as he has not yet mated with his dam matahari, scared of her as she resists his amorous advances, very strange as most breeders do inbreed their cats for a better type of the particular breed. "Matahari' has got very good characteristics of the original "traditional Persian cat" breed,besides, also hardy and tough.Akin to some of the best race-horses turning dud at stud duty so also i feel "Matata' is a failure as a "stud cat".He is an excellent and loving cat and will always be the jewel of my house.

After approx 4 months matahari demonstrated signs of being in extreme heat for about 5 days, beginning from Sunday.As mentioned , her 1 1/2 year old kitten "matata" hasn't been able to mate with her, although he gets extremely virile, uttering his loud "roars' occasionally.Seems either "matata" doesn't know the method of mating, or, either he is always chased away by matahari when he approaches her amorously, hence afraid. Strangely, yesterday, "Matata' demonstrated his true "Cat ferosiousness" . "Matahari" was given a bathe by my house-caretaker Sabina after which she was let out into the house. 'After the bath "mataharI looked totally different in her wet fur, tiny and thin. "Matata" started stalking her around the house and literally wanted to fight with her, growling like a dog with the normal bold matahari totally avoiding him. I controlled matata literally fearing a "catfight" and finally also gave him a bathe. He totally cooled down after the bathe. This was the first time that "Matata" behaved in such an aggressive manner towards matahari,otherwise, he was normally afraid of her, she being the "alpha cat" of the house.What was the reason for this strange change of behaviour in Matata? Was he excessively frustrated sexually? Did he mistake matahari to be a different cat after the bathe? This particular incident baffled me. Now he is totally normal and both of them are existing harmoniously.

As i am a bachelor living alone with my house-keeper Sabina , the entire house is a playground for my pet cats "matahari" and "matata". "Matata" just refuses to grow up and is the equivalent of a pampered child, totally docile and extremely fearfull of strangers. "Matata" is now 17 months old, a full grown cat, yet he behaves like a kitten, totally dependent on his human caretakers for attention as well as feeding.He loves being petted, rolling on his back and although most cats of his age would have had produced multiple kittens , he is still at a loss in the art of mating.He is very much attached to Sabina who feeds both the cats simultaneously. "Matata" allows his dam "Matahari" to eat first and later he only eats his food if Sabina stands next to him, petting him as he slowly eats his meals.This is a regular habit, something strange since "matahari" is totally independent oo her human care-takers, a totally aloof feline.

On Sunday evenening at approx 1800 hrs my house- keeper suddenly noticed some spittum discharge on the chair where Matata was sleeping.Initially i ignored this symptom since he was always in robust health with an appetite worse than a stray hungry feral cat.After being fed dinner at approx 1830 hrs matata vomitted his entire food, something he never did since his birth hence this frightened me.the "spittum discharge" from his mouth and now vomitting of entire food intake was a serious problem as "viral infections' are common and fatal in cats and dogs with personal experience of having reared both these pets.As it was a holiday i decided to try my own medicine of changing his diet as i initially suspected a case of "food poisoning"."Matahari" too had eaten the same "Mince meat/rice" food and was hale and hearty and hence i realised that it was not a case of "Food poisoning". I immediately went to the fish market, purchased fish and fed the same to "Matata". I was just hoping that he wouldn't vomit again after a change in his diet as that would mean an immediate admission to the "Parel Animal hospital',Mumbai's semi-Govt run animal hospital.My diagnosis and remedy proved correct and "Matata" didn't vomit again, although we were still under suspence the entire night.On Monday morning he was fed his normal food of "Mince meat/rice" and relished the same, being his normal self. My diagnosis of "Matata's" sudden illnesscould be a case of "mild poisoning" as he has the habit of exploring every nook and corner of our house. I presume he must heve inhaled some "Camphor moth balls" essence which i normally keep in my cupboard, a prevention against cockroaches.From now on i intend getting rid of all the "camphor moth balls' in my house, totally unsuitable for pets and prevention is better than the cure.

The World is undergoing a "Soccer Fever" with the Finals of the "world Cup-2010" due on Sunday(11-7-2010). "Paul, the Octopus" living in a gErman aquarium has become a household name due to its correct predicions of the "World Cup Results". Most pet owners would have experienced some sort of "telepathic" sense of their pet at some time in their lives if observant to details. My own cats "Matahari" and "Matata' have had a strange habit of sleeping at the main door entrance occasionally. This would always be a bad sign to either my finances or personal health. Normally my cats sleep anywhere in the house, most commonly on the chairs, something common with pampered cats. Sometimes, bizarrely "Matahari" would sleep for days together at the main house door entrance as if expecting someone.During these times i would lose heavy monetary speculative investments, mostly on "Horse-racing". Just recently , a few weeks back,"Matata" copied the same behaviour of his dam "Matahari" and began continuously sleeping at the door for days together. i was definitely expecting some misfortune and i did contract "Malaria" severely effecting my health. After i contracted "Malaria" and underwent treatment "Matata" no more sleeps at the main door entrance, reverting back to his original locales within the house.Pet owners, do pay attention to your pets strange behaviour patterns, they could be conveying a message to their human owners."Oscar" the cat achieved World-wide fame for predicting the death of patients in a hospital in the U.S.A. Some pets akin to humans definitely have a "6th Sense" gift.

To me it seems that "Matata" is still a "Young kitten' as i was the "Vet" who seperated his umbilical cord when he was delivered in my bedroom on Sunday (29-3-2009) by Matahari, the first amongst six kittens delivered.
Today he is 15 months old, and although has "puppy dog" behaviour, absolutely playfull in a childish manner has now developed the dreaded habit of "urinating Marking' around the house.This is a typical habit of all "male cats", pets or stay and hence most non stud pet cats are neutered to prevent this habit.Matata still hasn't learnt the technique of "Mating" as he has never mounted his dam "Matahari' although he sniffs her and gets frisky, yet has't been able to mate with her.He has matured into a typical "Fat cat' akin to the caroon character "Garfield" and is a real live wire in the house keeping us on our toes and the house lively. His only drawback is his "scent marking urination" which i hope he loses with age or once he actually mates. I don't want to get him neutered as then it would be an abnormal life .Let cats be cats.

I had been on an 18 day tour to Europe between Saturday(15-5-2010) to Tuesday(1-6-2010) with my pets Matahari, Matata and parakeet "Mittoo" being cared by my house-keeper Sabina.
"Matata" has grown into a robust and sturdy cat and eats any edible food with no allergies. His only bad habit which he has developed recently after almost a year of age is unrinating in another spot in the house besides his normal toilet which is the house bathroom. This is the trouble with "Male Cats",urinating at another spot in the house or their surroundings to mark their "territory", common with all cats, the big cats of the jungles as well as domestic house cats.
A funny characteristic of "Matata" is that his behaviour is akin to a dog and responds immediately to his name when called unlike his dam Matahari who is mostly aloof and withdrawn, a typical "queen Cat".